


Love and War

by stevienat



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Murder, Canon-Typical Violence, Happy Ending, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Soulmates, mentions of Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 10:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7636243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stevienat/pseuds/stevienat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the ancient days Hades cursed all the gods because he wished them gone. Now because curses are fickle things all it did was turn them all mortal and took their memory including Hades himself. The legend says since then the gods have been reborn countless times and some of them even remember who they are.<br/>
But for equally as long as they've been cursed the Olympians have been trying to defeat Hades and break the spell. According to an ancient prophecy a boy would be born whom was destined to save the gods. Only Ares could obtain the tools to cut Hades' thread of life.<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <b> OR </b>
</p>
<p><br/>
Everybody is a Greek deity and without Steve they're screwed but nobody tells him what's going on because safety and hell Fury is in charge. He's compartmentalizing to maximum efficiency.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and War

**Author's Note:**

> The overarching plot is loosely based on Disney's Hercules, I say loosely because the plot ran away from me. Also Steve isn't actually Hercules I made him a different god (Ares; Bucky is Eros that's were the title comes from) because I'm a rebel actually I just went and said huh well that movie doesn't follow the myth so you know what I can do the same.  
> I could also blame Rick Riordan which I will not but yeah no that's the reason Bucky ended up being Eros (It was the illustration I couldn't just say yeah Chris Evans. Percy, Eros looks like Chris Evans).
> 
> Also as a side note because Pierce is shady as all hell, pardon the pun, he cursed them before he kidnapped Persephone because I wouldn't wish that guy on anybody not even my enemies, not that I have any but still.

_Long ago there were immortals called the gods now they are legends not even those very same gods believe. They believe themselves regular humans just like you and me._

[Scratch that I was a centaur.]

_Though over the centuries the curse clouding their memories wore off for some. Yet their immortality would not return. The few that remembered and the ones that had no idea who they were stayed trapped in the circle of death and rebirth. Until..._

 

[“By Zeus, would you just tell the story already nobody cares about the fact that you _are_ half a horse, Phil,” Clint yelled from the throne he was slouched on.

“Shut up, _Apollo_!”

The god let out an exasperated huff, indignantly crossing his arms over his chest. “Tell the damn story, Phillip,” he growled as he got up to leave.

“Very well, Clinton.”]

* * *

 

Hades, better known by his current mortal name Alexander Pierce, strode into his underground lair below Hydra Entertainment's office tower in New York. He stopped in front of the collection of screens that made up Zola's appearance.

Nearly a century ago Arnim Zola, as he was foolish and power hungry just like his master, captured the fates and bound the the three sisters power to his soul with the help of an mythological artifact. All this power contained in just one weak human vessel drove the man insane over the decades and in a last attempt to please Lord Hades he transferred his consciousness into digital data.

“Zola how far are we with our little project?”

“My lord, there is a minor inconvenience. Your plan to finally rid the world of the Olympian population will be successful but only if Steve Rogers dies. He will oppose you and win – if Ares...” Zola lisped.

“Rumlow, Rollins!” Pierce yelled effectively shutting up Zola.

“Coming, your most lugubriousness.” The two young man came bounding into the room. Sloppy looking and panting loudly. “Sir,” They mumbled looking at their feet.

“Get rid of Ares and this time for good! Zola will fill you in. I have a meeting with Fury about his shoddy company wouldn't want to have Howard Stark get his hands on it.”

Pierce looked the two over with disdain, officially they were his bodyguards. Ever since he had launched his political carrier it seemed almost natural to have too large young men run around with him even though they were dumb as bread.

It was just to keep up appearances anyway. Hades let out a resigned sigh as he heard them whisper nonsense among themselves. “Memo to me: Maim you after my meeting.”

* * *

 

Steve Rogers a at this point a three year old boy from Brooklyn, New York. Healthy as an ox and the apple of his parents eye was sleeping in his crib. His small hands wrapped around a Pegasus toy.

Sarah and Joseph Rogers didn't know that their son was destined to greatness or that half his soul was of an ancient god. The god of war no less.

Zola had advised Rumlow and Rollins to get rid off the poor baby boy at night. Feed him all the pink potion in the vile and his destiny would be gone. Nothing more than a misinterpretation of fate, all he would be was a measly mortal kid.

They did just that Rumlow broke into the Rogers' house, kidnapping the boy. As he backed away from the crib he could hear the noise of the TV from down the hall getting louder. He contemplated briefly before he set the carpet ablaze and fled out the window and down the street where Rollins was waiting with the car. They drove down a few blocks just to be save.

“Brock, gimme the boy.” Rumlow reluctantly handed the blond boy over observing the child as he suckled on the baby bottle. The healthy color drained from his cheeks and he started to look more frail and sickly by the second.

“Let's just leave him here, he's gonna die anyway,” Rollins uttered placing the baby on the back step of an abandoned house. The two drove off reporting their success to Pierce.

* * *

 

Betty Ross woke to the wailing of sirens down the street. She was on her way to the kitchen for a glass of water when she heard a sharp knock and a crying baby almost drowned out by the sirens.

Betty opened the door more to proof to herself that she was hallucinating rather than to check for an actual baby. “Dear god, you poor thing.” She said as her eyes fell on the frail baby boy crying and struggling against his blankets. For a few seconds she completely ignored the man holding him.

“Betty.” She looked up at Nick Fury, a man she knew to be Zeus. In another live he had been her husband and the boy she was holding her son.

“Nick.” Betty nodded taking the baby he thrust into her arms carefully. She allowed the lord of the sky into her home. “What would you say if I asked you to look after the boy just until his mother is out of the hospital?” He inquired almost carefully.

Betty would have adopted baby Steve after Fury told her his story and raised him as her own if she had to. He was the baby she had know she'd find on her doorstep one way or another, who's future she knew better than her own. The boy from the prophecy, a prophecy every oracle made, about Ares defeating Hades. But this time Zeus would make sure to do everything in his power to protect Ares and give him his best chance.

With the help of the late Doctor Erskine Steve grew into a tall and lanky teenager and because of him and the carelessness of Pierce's minions his destiny stayed intact.

* * *

 

Steve had uneventful teenage years, he was good at school, the second fastest on the track team and earned money by working a part time job in a bridal store _. Hera's_ made a decent bit of money allowing Betty to have employees. The only problem was that most everybody at Steve's school found it lame that he worked in a bridal store.

Naturally since children are mean and teenagers are even worse he had no friends but Wanda who worked the register and her twin-brother Pietro who was mostly know for setting stuff on fire and being fast as lightning. (He was the fastest on the track team.)

He felt like he didn't belong even when he was with his mother and stepfather but once he met the twins it was better. Steve couldn't say what it was but he felt familiar with them despite never having met them before. As much has he loved his friends he still felt lonely he longed for somebody to love or more accurately to love him back.

Steve used to have a hopeless crush on the red headed, Russian born girl from his elective history class but he was also very aware that she had a friend turned boyfriend who was easily ten years older than her. He knew this not because he stalked her but because the guy picked her up from school in his ancient purplish-green Audi since his sophomore year but ever since Natasha's eighteenth birthday they usually had an intense make-out session against said car. Which enforced Steve's believe that he was her boyfriend. Steve also vehemently denied having a crush on her because talking to her twice and having her smile at him occasionally did not warrant calling it that or the fact that he found her attractive.

After voicing his concerns about not fitting in or never finding somebody to love him to his mother he felt almost worse for saying something. “Oh, honey come here,” She said inviting her son into her arms. He awkwardly tucked himself into her arms resting his head on her shoulder.

“When I first woke up, after your father died. Nick, you remember your dad's boss, told me you were safe with Miss Ross from down the road.” His mother paused staring into space for a few seconds. She looked as if she tried to remember not living across the hall from Betty. “He called Abraham one of the former doctors at the hospital and he got you all better within a few days. But you know what was the first thing he said?” Steve nodded having heard this story a dozen times before.

“He mumbling something about destiny. I always knew you were special, honey.”

“Mom, whatever you are trying to say just say it, please?” Steve was angry he knew he had no right to be but wanted her to stop beating around the bush already. “Maybe you should ask Betty about that,” she answered calmly, eyes far away again.

He knew she missed his father. Steve also knew she hated talking about the night his father had died but he needed to know. He need to finally hear what apparently made him so special she couldn't even bring herself to tell him.

“I will,” he sighed, quietly closing the door behind him.

Steve strode across the hall on bare feet knocking on their neighbors door. Betty was in her early forties, she kept to herself outside of her store. In fact he had never seen her with anybody but her friend Bruce, whom he suspected to be more than a friend by now, and Nick who visited her occasionally. “Hello, Steve” she said with a warm smile, stepping aside so he could enter.

“Mom brought up the destiny thing again,” he answered as a way of greeting.

“Has she? Do you want some tea?” Steve nodded absentmindedly after a long pause in which Betty had set two cups with tea bags on the counter and put the kettle on he continued, “She was talking about destiny. It's so frustrating, she starts telling me something and then boom she changes her mind again. This time she said I should go see you.” Betty poured the hot water into the cups and set one in front of Steve. She took a sip of the chamomile tea before she answered, “Let me tell you something I'm even going to make it short and to the point.” Steve nodded, large hands wrapped around the steaming mug.

“In the ancient days Hades cursed all of Olympus because he wished them gone. Now because curses are fickle things all it did was turn them mortal and took their memory including Hades himself. The legend says since then the gods have been reborn countless times and some of them even remember who they are. But for equally as long as they've been cursed the Olympians have been trying to defeat Hades and break the spell. According to an ancient prophecy a boy destined to save the gods would be born. Only he could cut Hades' thread of life.”

“Exactly what does that have to do with me?” Betty ruffled his blond hair and laughed. “Well Nick believes that the boy is you. Maybe he can help you find out if he's right?”

* * *

 

At the same time in Washington D.C. a young man desperate to safe his sister from certain death sold his soul to Alexander Pierce.

* * *

 

“What's going on Stark? You seem on edge,” Natasha asked looking over his shoulder. She sighed. “Seriously, you need to stop spying on Hera. Go back to your wine and parties.” Tony stayed silent which was uncharacteristic for the god of drinking too much and partying too hard. “She told him. You tell Fury if he doesn't already know. I'll call Coulson warn him and May.” Natasha grabbed his shoulders. “Whoa, she told him what exactly?”

“That he's the kid – he's Ares, I mean he doesn't know that yet but - ”

“If Pierce finds him, if he hasn't already found him.”

“I know you loved the guy like waaay too much,” Tony made an uneasy pause. “Platonic, it was platonic I know geez. But Aphrodite, he's safe. Our most beloved god of the underworld who happens to have misplaced the underworld by the way.” The death stare Nat sent his way made him gulp. For gods sake he was thirty-three and a nineteen year old scared him. “Thinks he's dead his goons told him so themselves. I wouldn't wanna be on that guy's bad side.”

“We _are_ remember! He wants to wipe us out. _Again_ since last time just doomed us to being mortal and sadly for him reborn.”

“Believe me I'm just as sick of it as you are but - ”

Natasha waved him off. “I'll call Daisy, she can break it to Phil.”

* * *

 

Steve wasn't entirely sure how Betty and Nick had talked him into going to see this man, Phil. He lived in Manhattan with his wife, girlfriend, best friend or room mate and their daughter? Steve wasn't sure what kind of a relationship the three had since nobody cared to elaborate.

Phil himself was kind of uncooperative in fact he was as headstrong as a horse. “Son, after Jason I handed in my resignation to train hero types like you! I am perfectly content with my job for S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick knows that! I have no idea why he would send you here but I am done good day.” He said slamming his door closed.

“But Mr Coulson –” Steve almost ripped the door of its hinges in his haste to get it open. Tony Stark must have thought of guys like him when he designed the doors in his tower or more accurately his fathers tower.

“By all means come in.” In the corner a girl a few years younger than Steve was doing her homework she briefly looked up from her books rolled her eyes and went back to typing on her laptop. Steve assumed her to be Daisy.

“Sir, I'll do anything you want just please, Nick wouldn't have sent me here if he didn't think I could do it.”

“Phil please,” a collected voice void of emotion started, “I really don't want to see him zap you with lightning again.”

The man sighed. “It was one time Melinda.”

“You turned down Hercules, dad,” Daisy piped up. _So she was his daughter._

“He was an idiot. All muscle no brain. Achilles wasn't any better to be honest.” Phil turned to Steve who had been observing their little domestic squabble. “If you turn out like him, by Ares I'll,” he stopped briefly as if waiting for Steve to say something – nothing. “I hope you have at least half a mind for battle strategy not like that dumb log.”

“Phil,” Melinda said in a warning tone. Steve heard him mumbled something that sounded strangely like a flower ( _What the hell?_ ) under his breath.

* * *

 

The training plan Phil set was vigorous and strict and filled with out date activities like javelin throwing and sword fighting. Running laps and weight lifting Steve understood but archery? He supposed he was lucky that he was reasonably good at everything and even if he wasn't he picked it up fast – like archery. Steve was probably the worst at archery but Phil patted him on the back and said, “Not everybody can be Apollo or Artemis.” That statement egged him on almost as much as being told his battle strategy was not on par with Athena. He might have decapitated a Stark Tech dummy robot after that.

It had been almost two years when the first visitor came. Steve didn't count Melinda or Daisy they were Phil's family and they helped him train. Melinda, as her adoptive daughter Daisy insisted he call her, thought him hand to hand combat – she was viscous. Steve never thought he'd be this scared of a woman in her mid-thirties. Daisy herself enjoyed showing him up on the shooting range quite frequently at least until he started to really get the hang of guns. He didn't like it much he enjoyed using a shield and a sword on occasion a spear. But a sword felt most natural, yet he would never admit that he felt somewhat idiotic poking at the newest combat robot Tony Stark supplied him with.

Almost as stupid as the week Phil had him chopping wood for six days straight. Steve could only see the the stocky man with quiffed brown hair and an eccentric beard upside down as he did crunches in the rafters. The man observed the space eyes lingering on the heap of punching bags and destroyed dummies. He went to examine the Salmon ladder briefly before he moved on and picked up a shield and turned it in his hands.

“Hey,” Steve spoke up still hanging upside down thirty feet above the man. He looked shocked as he observed Steve pull himself up, arms crossed over his chest. “How did you get up there?”

“Climbed,” Steve answered righting himself to sit on the beam.

“You do this often?”

He shrugged at the man slipping down the other side of the iron beam to climb along like on monkey bars. If he wanted to Steve could have easily jumped on the part of the overhang that wasn't doubling as an apartment for him and Phil but that would probably give the brunet a heart-attack. He looked a little pale as it was.

“How can I help you exactly?” Steve asked as he landed on the floor gloved hands still gripping the rope he used to get down. “Two questions. Why would you voluntarily hang in the rafters upside down to work out and where is Phil?” The man, now that Steve saw him right side up he recognized him, Tony Stark asked.

“I like the challenge. Upstairs, reading,” Steve answered shortly already moving to the Salmon ladder. He wondered if he could get to the top before Stark reached it. He did, scaring Tony as he landed on the overhang in a crouch. “You're gonna kill me with that sneaky shit you're pulling there.

“Learning from the best,” Steve mumbled sheepishly.

Stark smiled at him as he set the the big round bag he was carrying down. “Phil said you like using a shield? Dad found it in his his basement or actually Jarvis did.” From the bag Tony produced a shiny silver disc with thick leather straps on its back. Tony looked up at the sound of a door opening. “Phil, old boy.”

The older man sighed. “Five years Tony it's not that big a number. Is that the thing your father called about? What's it made of steel?”

“It's Vibranium, rarest metal on earth,” Tony said proudly. Phil nodded turning the shield over and throwing it at Steve. He started to study it immaterially. “Stuff's basically indestructible, right?” Tony nodded.

“It'll do for his Ultimate Frisbee.”

* * *

 

He spent almost four years training with Phil when he heard the news of his mother and stepfather moving. Phil had always been understanding about him wanting to see his mother and letting him visit frequently as long as he didn't neglect his training to become a true hero.

But now Steve was just distraught apparently she and Chester, whom she had been seeing since he was twelve, were going to move. They had married long before he first left a few years ago. He couldn't wrap his head around why she'd think he'd be to busy training to even care. Steve knew it wasn't like that. Maybe she felt like it would be a distraction knowing her and Chester wanted to retire to California. Steve felt like he was losing her though, he already couldn't remember his father he only knew him from pictures and while he struck up a somewhat fatherly relationship with his stepfather he felt like Chester was stealing his mom away.

But for as gruff and stoic Chester could be he clearly made his mother happy and really he just wanted her to be happy. Right from the moment he had first noticed the giddy smile his mother got when she talked about the retired Army Colonel up to the point of their first meeting Steve knew his mother was in love. He was fifteen when Chester proposed. The proposal was shortly followed by a wedding. Steve had been his mothers maid of honor which he excepted as long as she'd never call him that again.

But now he didn't feel like it any more he didn't want any of the glory and surely not the title of hero. It hadn't been long since Phil had deemed him battle ready either. He wanted to see his student make a name for himself and become a hero saving the world until they had the opportunity to be rid of Hades.

Sharon, the new oracle, had since told him of the full prophecy or most of it he was sure she still held back information. Steve had to proof himself worthy of the title hero and although Steve deemed it stupid, they had to wait till the planets aligned to kill Hades. Which wasn't for another one and a half years.

For a few days after the, as Steve had dubbed it, 'California-bomb' he felt like being a petulant child sitting in his old apartment and pouting while his mother packed the last of her things.

* * *

 

The night Steve's mother had left Tony Stark invited him to his tower. Stark had given Steve his own floor for his twenty-first birthday a little over a year ago while Fury, Betty and Phil had bought him a vintage motorcycle. Apparently Chester and his mom had pitched in too. Steve had only met Tony briefly before and he found him somewhat repulsive when drunk. His bravado, over excessive alcoholism and talk of this or that party didn't make him that much more pleasant either.

Steve wasn't sure what he had hoped to find besides the obscene amounts of expensive alcohol that seemed to have no effect on him what so ever. Maybe he had hoped to find somebody to talk to or somebody to hold him while he... _Did what exactly?_ Love that was still something he wished for more than anything.

While Tony wasn't looking he left. Even the disembodied voice of Stark's AI promised not to tell on him. Steve was walking though Central Park, shield on his back when he heard the voices. He had been wandering around trying to clear his head, latch onto happy memories of his mother. There was, by the sound of his voice, a young man arguing with another rough voiced and gravely male. Steve felt the scar on his palm tingle as he crept up on them.

The young man was shaken about by a ghastly creature that Steve could barely identify as a centaur. The horse-man kept telling him he was pretty much too pretty to eat but he had to make due.

“Do we have a deal or no?” The man's voice caused sharp pain to shoot up Steve's palm it felt as if he had cut himself.

“If you were a girl I'd make you my bride,” the centaur grumbled on. “But you aren't so I'll have to eat you.”

Steve sprang into action hurtling his shield at the ugly centaurs head. Upon impact he unceremoniously dropped the young man into the pond.

“Are you completely nuts? We were just having a chat,” he spluttered as soon as he emerged from the water.

“I'm sorry aren't you a damsel in distress?” Steve asked while he ran towards the creature to deliver the final blow.

“No damsel, not in distress either. I've got pepper spray.” The shield made a sound like a church bell as it connected with the centaurs face once again, knocking him out cold.

“Uh, I just thought he...” Steve was rendered speechless as soon as he saw the strangers face. He was unbelievably attractive even though he could just make out the most prominent details in the weak moonlight. Really just his strong square jawline, pronounced cheekbones and steel-blue eyes. He was wringing out his longish hair when he spared a glance at Steve and winced. “Are you hurt?” The brunet shook his head moving to untie his combat boots.

“You should take a picture, big guy.”

Steve's jaw dropped. “What? I... I don't even know your name.”

“James, my friends call me Bucky. At least they would if I had any,” Bucky mumbled the last part more to himself. “So did they give you a name along with all those rippling pectorals?”

“Ugh, Steve. I'm Steve.” Bucky smiled at him. He trailed his right hand up Steve's chest giving his left pec a soft squeeze. “Thanks for interfering with my business, sexy, but I gotta run.”

“Wait.” But Bucky was already gone. Steve stared at the spot he had seen him last until his wet clothes made his skin feel like ice.

* * *

 

Bucky barely made it out of Central Park until Rumlow and Rollins popped up. “I don't need a babysitter,” he grunted, trudging past them. His skin was freezing and there was still water in his boots. He should probably shed his now most likely ruined leather jacket but he was sure his gray t-shirt would show the two thick welt like scars on his back plain as day.

“Boss wants to see you,” Rumlow growled. His tone almost made Bucky go back to the living Greek statue in the park. _Like he was still there. A guy like him had people lining up for miles_ , he thought bitterly. “What does he want?”

Rollins shrugged, hands shoved deep in his pockets. “Report probably. I'd leave out your blond man-crush.”

Bucky absentmindedly rubbed at the fine white scar on his right palm. He remembered asking his mother how he'd gotten it or the scars on his back and shoulder but she'd just shrugged saying he was born with them. _Who was born littered in unnatural scars?_ His grandmother used to say they are from a past life so he could find his way back to his soulmate. He never believed her, never would.

A girl in kindergarten had called him a fallen angel, told him he just couldn't remembered how it had felt to get his wings ripped out. Bucky had always dismissed it as foolish even when some days he dreamed about flying, his wings carrying him everywhere he wished to go or others when large black wings wrapped around a strong man clinging to him like his life depended on it.

He wanted to go back to the man, to Steve, and find out why he had seemed so fascinated with him. Ask him why he had kept rubbing at his palm and looked so pained – looked like Bucky was causing him pain.

* * *

 

Pierce wasn't pleased that Bucky hadn't managed to secure the centaurs allegiance.

“This guy Steve, he's like the all American hero type...” Pierce silenced him with a quick hand movement as soon as he heard Rumlow and Rollins whispering.

“Steve. Why does that name ring a bell?”

“I don't know? It's a common name,” Rumlow stage-whispered back.

“The Rogers kid we were supposed to...”

“So you took care of him, huh? 'Dead as a door-nail.' Weren't those your _exact_ words?”

“This might be a different Steve Rogers. Yeah. I mean, you can turn a stone and find a Rogers.”

“Also remember, like, a few years ago, every other boy was named...”

“I do not care about your excuses we have to get rid of him _now_! Bucky, my sweet Bucky.”

Bucky rolled his eyes as Pierce tried to fix his roadkill-toupee. “What do I have to do now?”

“Use your sweet tongue on him? I have a feeling my pet Hydra is about to be resurrected from Tartarus.”

“I should talk him into suicide by Hydra? Why would I do that?”

“Well you could have your soul back – as soon as he dies.” He paused as if to contemplate what he was about to say next. “Soul for a soul, I'll give you your freedom. How's that sound?”

“Swear on the river Styx that I'll get my soul back as soon as I've delivered him to your Hydra.”

Bucky knew it was wrong to condemn the mysterious guy to death but he wanted to be free and Steve would win, he knew although he wasn't sure why. Then they could both be free. Maybe he could even get to know this herculean guy.

“Deal,” Pierce said coolly.

* * *

 

That night Steve dreamed of a man that looked like Bucky with a large black wings that were mostly just shadows on walls and a bow and quiver permanently attached to his back. Of hands that looked like his own running through short dark strands and plush lips kissing his throat as the man writhed under him. Fingers digging into his skin and loud moans echoing of palace walls. The feeling of heavy armor and a sword in his hand as he rode a chariot into battle.

A soft voice whispering, “Do you love me?”

“More than anything.” He heard his dream-self say.

The man, Bucky, held an arrow in his hand it was gleaming oddly as he dragged the tip over his palm, golden blood welling up instantly. He looked uncertain until Steve grabbed his hand and drew the arrow over his own hand. He pressed their palms together as he kissed him.

Steve was startled awake from the last images, his hand burning worse than ever before.

He wasn't sure why he went to see Phil after he woke up. Maybe it was just to get yelled at by the man but he didn't. Phil looked tired as he opened the door on his floor of Stark Tower. Tony seemed to accommodate about everybody he knew there except maybe Nick who seemed to reside in the Triskelion.

“How can I help you?” He yawned as he gestured for Steve to step into his living room. He could see a high stack of books on the coffee table and Daisy's laptop.

“Sorry about the mess. Daisy is about to start at NYU.”

Steve nodded and sat down on the cream leather sofa with a sigh. “I had a dream,” he started wearily, not sure how to continue he checked for Phil's reaction. Who prompted him to continue. “I met this guy after I ran off yesterday – eh I saved him from a centaur. You know the hulking ugly ones?”

“I'm familiar yes. So what about him?”

“Bucky, he was not happy I interrupted but... I dreamed about him but he looked different I didn't even get that good a look of him to know that stuff.”

“By the gods it's now or never. Steve do you remembered when you came to me,” Phil looked up to judge Steve's facial expression. “I kept dropping hints about warfare and Ares in particular. How much it annoyed you when I mentioned Athena.” Bemusedly Phil watched a scowl slide into its place. “Real nice lady by the way you should meet her. She coordinates the security branch for S.H.I.E.L.D. actually she's my boss. We weren't quite honest with you on the part that not some random kid would safe Olympus but actually Ares. Him being you. About this man you should ask Natasha she would know.”

“Ares? Are you?”

“Chiron, I was on Olympus when Hades cursed it. You're taking this well.”

Steve shrugged. “The only thing that changed is that I'm one of them. Natasha, is she like me?”

“Aphrodite, from what I remember you two used to be close friends. Talk to her in the morning. Dionysus, eh Tony, he's how could I put this diplomatically, headstrong he convinced almost everybody to live here. _New_ Olympus and all.”

Steve nodded walking out of Phil's apartment in a daze. J.A.R.V.I.S. didn't speak to him during his elevator ride back to his floor and he didn't speak once he reached it. Instead Steve stared out the window silently.

Steve wondered if Bucky was like him, if he remembered him he must be right? Did Bucky remember him? From his dream he knew they must have been lovers. Phil said Natasha would know but Steve didn't feel like asking her about his own life.

What if he found Bucky...

* * *

 

Steve had been searching for a few days now and no sign of Bucky. He was more eager to proof himself a hero than ever and if just to attract Bucky's attention but nothing had come up yet. New York was most plagued with monsters of all cities in the US, Steve suspected it was because of the large amounts of gods and former immortals, yet there hadn't been an attack in weeks.

Now with Tony back in California to plan a party months in advance and probably drink a few vineyards dry there was nobody there to provoke one either. It was as if the earth had swallowed Bucky up but the moment he had given up finding him he showed up.

Phil and him were having coffee near the tower when suddenly a man with his face hidden under the hood of his navy sweater burst in, panting loudly as he ran towards them. “Steve, something wild got lose in Grand Central and the rubble trapped people they can't get away. You have to...”

Steve's head snapped up at the sound of Bucky's voice, he sounded frantic. Before he could think he pulled both Phil and Bucky towards his Harley. In all honesty he wasn't sure how three grown men fit on that thing somewhat comfortably but they managed – somehow.

Steve had his shield. _It would have to do_ , he thought. He surveyed the situation from under the rubble of a collapsed shop a nerdy looking guy with curly brown hair yelled, “Somebody call 911!” While a man that looked to be in his nineties hit him over the head telling him to calm down.

“Here, take that,” Phil said thrusting a gleaming sword into his hands. “Should work as long as it isn't a Hydra...” A scaly green monstrosity with a few too many heads hissed their way. “Don't make me yell something like, ' _Will you forget the head-slicing thing?_ ' Been there done that it was no fun. In fact gimme the sword,” Phil barreled on.

“Get to safety I've got this,” Steve yelled in Phil and Bucky's direction while running at the Hydra.

Bucky couldn't watch. _What if I killed him?_ He felt a strong hand wrap around his biceps steering him away from the enraptured crowd and the fight. He could hear the metallic clonks of the shield and he enraged hiss of the Hydra.

“Look alive, Barnes. Boss is giving you your soul back,” Rumlow growled.

“I know, jerk,” Bucky bit back ripping his arm from Rumlow's grip. Pierce was watching the fight from a strategically picked spot both safe and perfect to observe the chaos from. Steve had somehow managed to entangle most of the Hydra's umpteen heads with one another causing it to spit venom and bite at itself.

“Since I do not have the desire to foil my own plan you can have your soul back. You are of no use to me anymore, he is dead.” Bucky turned just to see a head lurch forward about to swallow Steve whole. Pierce put his hand on Bucky's shoulder as Steve went in for the kill. Bucky fell forward onto the banister with a cry of pain. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed on the marble floor. A few seconds later Pierce and his minions were gone and so was the Hydra. The cracked tiles were covered in a thick blanket of ash and so was Steve who stood at the center of the ashen circle, shield at his side and steaming sword on the floor.

Bucky pulled himself up, white knuckling the banister he shouted, “Let's hear it for Captain America!” Later he would blame his lightheadedness for hollering something like _Captain America_ but it was better than Wonderboy for sure. He almost collapsed again at the fiery pain that flared from the scars on his back. They felt raw and open and every arm movement hurt.

This time when he fell Steve caught him gently laying him on the ground. His eyes meet Steve's and he let out a strangled yelp as pain flared up in his palm.

“Hey, hey it's okay,” Steve said stroking Bucky's hair out of his face. “I know you,” Bucky croaked but he looked all wrong. There was no bed sheet toga with some distinctively Greek design, chiton, a different part of his brain scowled. Or heavy armor, no shield with a boars head on it either just plain silver. His eyes closed again as he grabbed the hand gently resting on his sweaty face.

“Shh, it's okay Eros. I'm here.” Bucky didn't know where the adrenaline that made him push Steve away came from or the energy to run from him and hide. He wished he had his wings but the memory of how they had ripped them out after he turned mortal was rattling around his head aimlessly. How they had left him to die in his lovers arms. _No, not without you._ Bucky felt a tear run down his face at the memory of Ares running them though with his own sword while they shared their last kiss to allow them to enter Hades together. They never did.

Now he had broken his promise one he had made both himself and Ares a long time ago. _I would never do anything to hurt you I would never betray your trust like she did._

Steve knelt on the tile floor staring at his hands when Phil reached him. “I remember him, I remember everything,” he whispered. Around them people cheered and whistled for him. Yelling Captain America at the top of their lungs but Steve wasn't listening. He couldn't focus on anything beyond he pain wrapping around his heart like a vice.

“I need to find him,” Steve said with determination as he got up and dusted his hands off on his jeans.

* * *

 

Phil didn't stop him when he decided to find Bucky in between fighting whatever terrorized a city around the States. Stark wanted to design him a flashy uniform but he went with the design Natasha suggested it was a muted gray-blue with little amounts of an equally as dull red and silver accents. He didn't manage to keep them from painting his shield in bright red and blue to match the American flag down to the last pigment, though. Steve felt like he had a target painted on his back but instead of the bulls-eye there was a silver star.

Phil didn't accompany him either instead he sent a new recruit of S.H.I.E.L.D. Enterprises with him. Sam Wilson aka Hermes had recently quit his job with a private security firm in favor of working for the Stark Industries subsidiary.

He was nice, Steve liked him. If he hadn't he would have never gotten through the year of battling mythological creatures and searching for somebody that didn't want to be found.

Over the months Steve had gotten used to the dull pain in his heart and the fact that he felt miserable even when he was happy.

* * *

 

[One of the muses sneaked up on Phil who at this point just let the story unfold, flipping though his manuscript provided by the fates. “Phil, this is tragic, it needs music.”

Slightly startled Phil yelled, “I absolutely refuse to nah-aha _._ No _SINGING!_ Clint collect your damn muses.”

After an unfair fight of five against one Coulson sat gagged and bound in the corner – staring daggers at everything that moved. “Let's get this show on the road, ladies.”

On Apollo's command the muses lined up in preparation for a smashing rendition of [Centuries by Fall Out Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCbS-TLEoRA).

“Mel-uuh-d-aaa! Ugh Mel-ahaa.”]

* * *

 

Alexander Pierce was pacing in his office while his minions were watching him from the door.

“I can't believe this guy. I throw everything I've got at him, and it doesn't even...” His gaze snapped to Rollins and Rumlow at the door. “I've got two moths to get rid of this bozo, or the entire scheme I've been setting up for thousands of years goes up in smoke and I'm sick of planning.”

* * *

 

“I just got news from the tower. You remember there was that incident in New Mexico, Jane ran over a guy who turned out to be a Norse alien god. He's back and Jane is all over the place. He also keeps babbling about something called the convergence which is as Jane suspects roughly around the same time as the alignment of the planets,” Sam said cheerfully well less so towards the end.

Steve just made a noncommittal sound as he stared into the depths of his coffee. They had less than a week left and since Betty and Sharon only gave bits and pieces from the prophecy he needed to find Bucky soon or he couldn't obtain the fates scissors. “Hey, we'll find him buddy. Once we're back maybe I'll finally have the guts to ask Maria out.”

That made Steve laugh. Thinking of Sam stammering in front of Hill somewhat lifted his spirits. “Oh, come on Sam she's gone on you anyway,” he answered finally.

The last time they had been back to the tower Hill had even quite discretely hit on Sam although he refused to acknowledge that.

“Whatever you say big guy but...” Steve looked at his friend just to be greeted with a shocked expression, he followed Sam's gaze. In the back door to the coffee shop stood Bucky clad in black skinny jeans, combat boots and a leather jacket over a checkered button up. His long hair was tied in a neat little bun at the back of his head.

The first thing Steve said was, “What is it with you and coffee shops?” He almost kicked himself as soon as he said it but Bucky smiled. Steve got up as Bucky walked towards him. He seemed unsure of what to do next casting weary glances around the tiny back garden of the cafe. It was empty just like the shop itself. After a few seconds he fell to his knees in front of Steve.

He could feel a sense of déjà vu as arms wrapped around his his hips and Bucky pressed the side of hid face into Steve's abdomen. “I love you. Please stay,” he whispered shyly.

“Till the end of the line,” Steve said just as quietly squeezing Bucky's shoulder. This time there were no soft iridescently black wings to be wrapped around him but the words still sent the same surge of warmth through him.

Steve carefully pried Bucky's hands of his hips. He pulled him flush against his chest as soon as he noticed the fear of rejection in his eyes. “I'm staying okay? I just wanna kiss you, baby.” Bucky's eyes were still big and full of fear even when Steve leaned in to seal their lips together. Bucky stayed rigged in his arms though he kissed back just as desperately as Steve.

“I love you,” Steve mumbled against his lips, soothingly stroking his thumb over Bucky's stubbly jaw. Bucky carefully went to intertwine their fingers and for the first time in this life Steve felt whole. He lurched forward with little grace and kissed Bucky again with all the passion he could muster.

Bucky made a desperate sound in the back of his throat as Steve's tongue slid over his lower lip. God, he could have had this sooner if he had stayed in Grand Central or if he had the guts to tell Steve he wasn't any better than Psyche, that he had betrayed his trust worse he had sold him out. Signed his death warrant.

He tried to pull away, he needed to tell him now before his moment of bravery faded but Steve just held on tighter. Kissed him harder as one hand cradled Bucky's jaw and the other was roaming around his hip and lower back until it slipped down and gave his ass a quick squeeze. Bucky moaned rocking his hips toward Steve.

It felt like it had been millennia since he kissed Steve last. He remembered the clunky medieval armor of the knight captain. Had he been a prince? It wasn't important because now Steve was rutting against him. More breathy moans escaped Bucky as Steve kissed down from his lips along his jaw to suck at the spot just below the hinge.

Sam clearing his throat putting an end to their kissing, groping and grinding. “Please take the room. I can only try to unsee so much,” Sam groaned with his eyes still covered.

“Be safe there is stuff in the side pocket of your duffel Steve. Uhm Nat didn't even need to tell me about your healthy sex-life from way back when. I remember, there is not enough brain bleach for the times I flew in on you.” Sam sounded mortified.

“Yeah I remember I hurled my shield at you at least once.” Steve mumbled, laughing lightly.

“Ow, don't remind me that fucking hurt. I broke like six columns that one time.”

Bucky smiled against the skin of Steve's neck, he remembered too. They way it felt to have Steve's, Ares', weight on top of him. Hands rough from battle caress his skin and lips and teeth nipping at any exposed flesh they could reach.

He could have this again, arms bulging with muscle holding him in a warm embrace while his head was pillowed on Steve's enormous chest listening to his heartbeat.

Bucky tightened his grip around Steve's hand, squeezing before giving it a soft tug. Steve didn't react immediately, he was still lost in thought. Dopey grin plastered on his face. To get his attention Bucky slipped the tips of his fingers under the waistband of Steve's jeans while leaning into him.

“Are you thinking about us? The way it felt to be in me?” Bucky whispered into his ear, lips grazing the shell before giving the lope a soft tug with his teeth. Steve made an unintelligible sound, spinning them around and navigating them towards the door.

Bucky wasn't sure when they had made it though the cafe and up the stairs to Steve and Sam's room. He had been entirely too focused on the tight stretch of Steve's white t-shirt over his muscle packed torso. But now he could feel the door press into his back as Steve fumbled to unlock it while still making out with him. He could get used to this, running his palms along Steve's skin under his t-shirt. Admiring his physique with soft touches while fucking his tongue into the blond's mouth.

Bucky started to shove at Steve jacket, trying to pull it down those gorgeous arms. Steve was panting loudly as he moved to kiss down the column of his neck. “Buck, I love you but you're fucking distracting.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, unlocked the door and pulled Steve in after him before locking them into the room. Or everybody else out.

* * *

 

“It's been a thousand years since we've all been alive, together. War, the plague the fact that we were born on different continents it always kept us apart and now were together again. If, if Hades kills him again – I'll steal the Fates scissors myself I don't care if the prophecy calls for Ares. I don't, I won't even fucking sweet-talk them.”

“As far as sweet-talk goes Eros will do that for him.”

“Eros?” Tony asked incredulously.

“Mhm, the guy he's passionately having sex with right now is Eros.”

“Isn't he married?”

“Psyche is dead, like drowned herself out of despair dead. She ain't coming back and no he never married her by modern standards,” Clint trailed off as if deeply in thought, “Hey, you are so married to somebody that is not Pepper, though.”

“For the record, I know that and I met my wife from back in the day once she was an old lady and I was twenty. But back to the point why is Ares sleeping with one of your minions, Nat?”

“Gods aren't faithful as you know and neither was Eros, he liked Ares, the only god that never feared him. That guy never knew how to back down from a challenge and certainly couldn't live without a war. The fact that he knew no fear not even from the 'monster' even gods feared in turn made him interesting, desirable even. Ares either saw it as a challenge or a game I don't know if whether to resist Eros or to make him chase after him.”

“That's cool and all but what about Psyche and that whole 'I pricked myself with my own arrow' ordeal? You know my memory form back then is spotty at best. All that was on my mind was metal and crafting.”

“Yes, you were drunk or partying 24/7 we know, Stark.”

“Never happened. How stupid do you think he is and with a mortal for real?”

“He left her, though?”

“Just let me tell the story for Zeus' sake. So they were sneaking around Eros and him all very PG a shy kiss here a suggestive comment there. I thought they were cute together but they would have never done anything beyond the 'I like you cause you aren't scared of me' and the 'I like you because you mean danger – FYI I love danger'. Ares and I got along well, don't know where mortals got the idea we were screwing but alright – we were friends and we talked a lot. After a truly godly threesome,” Clint and Tony gave her a scandalized look.

“What? It was his idea and by _his_ I mean Ares. I wouldn't even call it a threesome. It was more them fucking and me watching.” Tony gulped as if he had to physically digest the statement he had met Steve and to him he seemed like the prude virgin type. He also looked a second away from asking who topped but then thought better of it.

“Eros misinterpreted Ares and my closeness. Him and Psyche, I guess he wanted a distraction from his own feelings. He felt like he couldn't have the one person he truly wanted because that one person was in love with me. Ares really wasn't. He grew kinda desperate when Eros left – almost started a couple dozen wars to keep his mind off of him.”

“Wasn't Psyche supposed to be a total knock-out, 10/10 as beautiful as you kind a lady?”

“Yes, how do you even remember that?”

“I read Greek myths or actually Jarvis read them to me when I was kid. Sometimes I still ask for one when I visit him and dad. J.A.R.V.I.S. plays the audio back for me when I miss them.”

“Awww, that's deep Tony,” Clint cooed.

“Back to Psyche. Contrary to popular belief I was neither jealous or particularly interested in her nor was I mad at her specifically. It was the others that needed punishment not her. Sending Eros to rain arrows of punishment down on them was a bad idea in retrospect.”

“Coulda sent me. Would have done a much better job too,” Clint mumbled.

“Sure you would have but not the point. Right so he found her to be beautiful not in the same way as Ares but delicate yet strong beauty. Foolish as he was he bargained with Apollo to influence the oracle to get her parents to deliver her on a silver platter.” Natasha gave Clint a disapproving look which he answered by putting his hands up in defeat and muttering, “Scary bastard,” under his breath.

“Psyche loved the ghost of a husband he was but you could say his heart wasn't in it. He loved Ares the same way she loved him. But it really took a turn for the worse when her vain and petty sisters visited. They were jealous of the life Eros gave her and out of spite convinced her to break her promise to never look upon him. I mean they had her believing he was a dragon of all things, stupid girls. Well she did check and was greeted by his stupid black angel wings he couldn't make them invisible when he slept. The drop of hot oil sealed the deal. She had broken his trust. It was a travesty when he returned to Olympus. He was heartbroken mostly because he still couldn't have Ares and his rebound betrayed him. You should have seen his face when Ares told him he loved him. Psyche on the other hand had no one to fall back on to declare their undying love and live happily ever after with. She went berserk.”

“Nat, you just passed up the opportunity to call her psycho.”

“Well where the hell do you think does that come from? Psyche talked her sisters into suicide tricking them that Eros wanted them instead of her – leaping of cliffs and all. Hadn't he been so busy being happy he might have shot her with one of his arrows to either make her more miserable or help her which ever way you wanna see it. But he was content with piercing his and Ares skin with his arrow letting their ichior mix. Unlucky as she was Psyche drowned herself out of despair because Eros wouldn't return to her.

“So who thinks it's smart to use those damned arrows on themselves.”

“Seeing as Eros is primordial it was probably his idea and Ares was just like 'Hell yes baby let's do it'.”

“The most prominent effect of the arrow is that they never fall in love again. If they don't meet Eros sleeps around and Ares dies young.”

* * *

 

Steve and Bucky woke to the loud knocks on the door. “Steve open the fucking door,” Sam yelled.

After a pause he added, “Put clothes on first.” Steve rolled out of bed with a sigh, picked up a towel and strode to the door. He unlocked it and let Sam in, who groaned as soon as Steve turned around.

“This is not clothes,” he said pointing at the hand-towel that really only gave minimal coverage. Too proof a point Steve promptly dropped it on the floor causing Bucky's eyes to snap to his now uncovered groin. The brunet gave him a suggestive smile.

“I can't handle this any longer. Jane called, that thing her alien friend is banging on about is the same thing Hades is waiting for. Our planets align at the same time as the Convergence.” Sam said facing the door to avoid any indecencies on Steve and Bucky's part. Sam's shoulder shook with a relieved sigh as he heard the rustling of clothes.

“So where are the fates?” Steve asked while zipping up his jeans.

“D.C. and as it so happens so are we.”

Steve barked a laugh. “Thought poetry was Clint's thing.”

Sam leveled him with an unimpressed stare. The blond put his hands up apologetically. “Where in D.C.?” he asked picking his jacket off the floor. Instead of an answer Sam handed him a slip of paper with an address scribbled on it.

* * *

 

The address led them to a closed down factory at the edge of D.C. Sam had left them at the door, saying it wasn't his mission. He was right it really wasn't but if he had come with them they'd been equal in number to the fates. As it was Bucky clung to Steve's hand as they entered.

The myths might have said he was a monster and Ares was a coward but they didn't know them. They never saw the inner strength or the vast knowledge of battle Ares held. They couldn't see beyond the fact that he might have favored force in a fight but used tactics more often than not. He only was a quick tempered savage to them that slaughtered innocents for fun but that wasn't Ares true nature it were traits they bestowed on him in disregard that he knew kindness, honor and loyalty.

Eros hadn't been treated much differently they made him out to be a monster with his arrows and the power to make mortals fall for whomever he wished, made it seem as if he abused his power for his enjoyment. All they could see was the destruction both love and war brought and they treated them as if inferior to other gods. The Greeks always loved Athena more than Ares, they replaced Eros with Aphrodite altogether. Degraded him to be her minion when he was older than her, as old as their world. While she had risen from sea-foam he came from chaos himself.

“We were awaiting your arrival,” one of the three spoke, she had black hair and skin like dark caramel. Her floral silk dress shone as she set down the scissors. “I am future but you may call me Raina,” she continued, surveying them with her intelligent brown eyes.

Bucky tightened his grip on Steve's hand. Before Steve could speak the busty brunette said, “I'm present or Darcy and you are pretty cut.” She gave a little laugh then waggled her eyebrows at the two men.

The brunette to her left rolled her eyes. “I'm Peggy, I represent the past.” She was solely talking to Steve ignoring Bucky completely.

“Uhm, hi. We're here to...”

“We know why you are here, god of war. Your fate does not concern us,” Raina interrupted. Darcy jumped up from the armchair she had been lounging on. “Their fate does not concern us? We have seen them live and love and die. With each death Hades grows stronger and they grow weaker,” she said in outrage.

“We will live on beyond the gods, our future is not effected whether they live or Hades destroys them.”

“Enough,” Peggy uttered with a sharp movement of her hand Darcy's reply fell silent. “We can't simply give you our scissors it would be to easy. You also can't steal them from us believe me Panic and Fear have tried enough times. The prophecy calls for you to earn them. I don't understand why the oracle would have sent _you_ with him, this is Ares task not yours god of love.” The brunette's voice had taken a distasteful tone as she addressed Bucky.

“How do I earn the scissors then?” Steve asked nobody particular.

“Easy, you win our favor by answering a few questions about your past, present and future,” Darcy piped up. Steve nodded waiting for one of the women to speak.

After some contemplation Peggy spoke, “You've been a warrior for most of your lives. Why did you chose to fight?”

Steve squeezed Bucky's hand tightly before he answered, “To protect the ones that couldn't protect themselves.”

The brunette nodded. “Not to quench your bloodthirst?”

The question caught Steve of guard he couldn't remember ever feeling bloodthirsty not even when he was still a god. But as it was Steve could only remember a hand full of lives and only a few were without Bucky. In one other life it had really just been a flash of Sam before he died. Tony tough he did remember vividly. A roman merchant so obscenely rich that he could sustain a gladiator school as well as his lavish lifestyle of party and drink and of course Natasha.

Would Peggy consider what he did as a soldier an act of bloodthirst? “No.”

This time Peggy smiled. “You have my favor,” she said.

“Uh, it's my turn,” Darcy mumbled, rubbing her hands happily. “Would you... Hmm, be willing to die right this instant if it meant Eros could get the scissors and save the gods.”

Without hesitation Steve answered, “Yes.”

“You'd damn yourself to eternal death to save the rest of the world?”

“Yes,” Steve repeated. He didn't look at Bucky, he couldn't.

“You know what I'd just pull an Orpheus and get your soul out of the pit after,” Bucky mumbled into Steve's shoulder. Steve gave him a genuine smile and pressed a kiss to his hairline.

“Aww,” Darcy cooed. “I'm always a sucker for a good love story. The odds are totally in your favor.”

Raina scoffed loudly. Her slim arms were crossed over her chest, eyes focused on a point beyond the two men. “I only see one future for you if your power is restored what is it? What will you do with your power?” she asked.

“I will use it to protect those who can't protect themselves.”

The young woman gave him a small smile. “The mortals were indeed wrong about you. You have earned the scissors, take them.” Raina slid them across the table for Steve to take. He stopped an inch from the sheers as if hesitant then grabbed them. Bucky and him turned ready to talk away when Raina spoke again, “A word of advice trust each other and respect his choice.”

“One more thing if you're done please return our property,” Peggy said, smoothing out invisible wrinkles on her navy dress.

* * *

 

Sam was waiting outside the warehouse visibly uncomfortable. He was pacing, pressing his phone to his chin repeatedly. “Tony found the thread,” he muttered into his closed fist. “Something about radio frequencies. It's coming Camp Lehigh in Wheaton, New Jersey.”

“I've been there before,” Steve said. “During World War II.”

The drive was silent, Bucky was sleeping through most of it. Steve was still staring at the last text Natasha had sent when Sam brought the car to a stop.

**I'm meeting you there**

She was leaning against a sleek black Audi probably a gift of Tony's. She wore a Kevlar cat-suit not too different from his own stealth suit. Natasha went in for a hug as soon as Steve was out of the car. He crushed her to his chest and pressed a kiss to her hair.

“Sam, take James back to New York. Steve and I can handle it,” Nat said casually.

Steve had to look away from Bucky's face he knew, it was contorted in a painful mask. He didn't need to see it too. The blond assumed that this had been the reason for mortals to believe him and Aphrodite a couple, they loved doing battle together. They had always been a great team.

Love and war had always been forces to be reckoned with no matter if it was Eros or Aphrodite at his side.

* * *

 

Natasha and him both knew it was too easy the second they entered the munitions bunker. It was deserted until Pierce stepped out from the shadows. He was flanked by men dressed in black gear lead by a man with a scared face. “You died here,” Pierce started.

Natasha swallowed hard, she remembered too. She had been there, had seen him die. “The dummy grenade – do you remember the pain? How the explosion tore into you? It is only fitting your life ends here _forever_.”

Steve did remember, the pain had been excruciating but death came quickly. “Now hand over the scissors – or your precious lover dies.” Pierce smiled cruelly. “But then again you could just move on with her.”

Bucky let out a strangled cry. Steve had lived lives with Natasha too, more than with Bucky in fact. He knew what she looked like with gray streaking her red hair. He knew what he looked like when he grew old. What their children looked like.

Later Steve wasn't sure how it all happened – he only knew it happened so fast. He told Natasha to run to find Hades thread of life and cut it. She protested of course said it was his job but it wasn't. His task had been to get the scissors.

 

_Ares shall attain the scissors to end the Lord of the Underworld's reign of terror._

 

Sharon never spoke of him having to cut the thread himself. It was implied sure but not explicitly stated. The second Natasha took off he felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. Bucky stared at him wide-eyed. He was clutching at his stomach were blood was darkening the navy of his shirt.

The scar on Steve's palm had opened up, it was bleeding. The blood was red not gold like in his memory. It was drip dropping onto the floor from below his fingerless glove. It had happened once before, he remembered Natasha frantically bandaging his hand. Now he understood what it meant – Eros dying.

He launched himself forward snapping the first mans neck, hitting the next in the face with his shield. His hands were soaked in blood from punching Rumlow's face in and slitting Rollins throat.

He had killed them all. He had felt it – the bloodlust. He still felt it as he looked up at Pierce, away from his bloody hands. Pierce pulled a vial out of his pocked. There was a faint glow coming from one of the threads inside while the other was frazzled not quite cut like somebody had tried to saw through it with blunt scissors. Bucky was still breathing faintly.

“You're next _Captain_ America,” Pierce taunted.

He gasped clutching his chest. The vial fell from his grasp as he frantically tried to undo his tie to open his shirt collar. The last strand of the grayish thread snapped once the glass shattered and the glowing gold one went up in smoke.

“You can't safe him,” Hades chocked out. “I've never seen this before, he must have returned to Olympus.”

* * *

 

Steve went to the underworld anyway, he requested a meeting with the new king of Erebus. The god of death himself, Thanatos, ruled the underworld now. Two harpies had accompanied him to the palace. But Isabelle and Elena left him at the gates.

The Furies were sitting in the rafters of the throne room. “I hear Cerberus took a liking to you and your Frisbee,” Thanatos said slowly. He looked gaunt and his deathly gray skin was covered in black bruising especially his chest which looked like it had been collapsed with great force. “The one you seek is not here. Hades did not lie.”

Steve balled his hands into fists. “How do I get to Olympus then?”

Thanatos smiled. “Through me, I will take you there when your time comes.”

* * *

 

Tony threw a party in honor of the curse being broken. Steve didn't participate, he sat slumped over the bar where Natasha was mixing bright red cocktails, which she kept sliding over to him. “Where is Clint?” he asked after the tenth or so cocktail.

“We decided it be better if we moved forward with other people. He rekindled his relationship with Laura now that we're all mortal until we can return to Olympus.”

Steve nodded downing the bright red drink in one go. He overheard Tony, Bruce and Phil arguing, “What about Hera? Demeter we know is dead. Her husband killed her after she tried to kill Daisy but –” Bruce started tentatively.

“Every god is reborn within a time span of ten years from their former incarnations death right? So it's reasonable that she probably died recently and was never actually reborn. The whole killing Hades shebang Steve had going on gave us back nothing. Dead gods are dead gods,” Tony muttered, downing his glass of champagne.

* * *

 

In his opinion, he lived entirely too long. He lived way into his nineties just like Natasha. They were the last Olympians to return. He had always welcomed death with open arms more so since Bucky died. But when it finally came he realized he wasn't ready. He didn't know how to explain to Eros that he fell in love with Natasha again, like the other four, five times in the previous millennia. That he had a son with her, named after him. Sensing his discomfort Natasha took his hand in her's as they entered Erebus.

Thanatos was already waiting for them. He still looked gaunt and very dead even with his billowy black cloak covering most of his gray skin. Before he took them to Olympus as promised, he told them of their fate, their choice not to return and instead drink form Lethe and be reborn.

“Love and war always were tied together closely. I myself would prefer somebody a little more gentle. I've always adored spring,” Thanatos mused.

Neither Steve nor Natasha decided to live another life on earth they'd rather be trapped on Olympus for eternity much like hell's creatures were trapped there.

Steve could feel all his godly power return as soon as he set foot in the gardens outside of the throne room. He was young again too, he looked to be somewhere around twenty-six. He was dressed in full bronze and leather armor with his helmet tucked under his left arm. Steve felt the familiar weight of his boar shield on his back and his sword against his left thigh. He held a spear in his right hand.

Natasha stood to his right in a sea-foam green dress with an embellished belt and ornate scallop shell clasps holding the shoulder straps together. Her red hair was twisted into an updo and decorated with a gold crown of small flowers and leaves. Her beautiful face was dusted with gold and pearls dust and her lips stained red.

She looped her arm through Steve's as they made their way towards the throne room. Everybody looked towards them as they entered. Athena went as far as to seize her spear until she recognized them. She sunk back into her seat. Hera's throne was broken in half much like Demeter's which was overgrown with flowering vines to keep it together. Daisy was sitting on the now vacant throne.

Eros and two other man sat on the steps by Aphrodite's. She extracted herself from Steve's hold and gracefully sashayed towards the coral structure carved with seashells and embellished with pearls. He himself walked to his own throne made from bronze swords like the Iron Throne in Game of Throne.

Everybody waited for Zeus to speak but he didn't.

Finally Tony clapped his hands. “This calls for a party.”

 

They all seemed to have drastically different ideas of a good party. Apollo and his sister Artemis held an archery competition with Aphrodite's minions in which Eros did not participate. Zeus and Poseidon overlooked the party patronizingly until Tony managed to get Rhodey to join a drinking game which only left Fury to overlook the party disapprovingly.

Tony was giggling like a school girl after one too many cups of nectar mixed with wine form his secret stash. He kept pointing out that Rhodey was only wearing bronze shoulder pads as he called them, scaled vambraces and a navy loincloth pared with scandals. Offended he poked Tony with his trident.

Sam came to a stop next to Steve, holding his own cup of nectar. “I've spent almost as long here as him. You should go talk to him,” he said carefully.

Sam's winged sandals fluttered, lifting him off the marble floor a little. He was dressed in all white offsetting his dark skin. Steve looked over at his brother because technically Hermes was his brother. He nodded, downing the last of his nectar.

He left the cup and wandered out into the garden. Bucky sat under a large olive tree, his iridescent black wings were folded against his back. He didn't turn around and didn't even look at Steve once he sat down. “Do you love her?” he asked still focused on the sunset.

“Yes.”

“When I first came here, I noticed it was gone.” He held out his right palm, void of any scars.

“Thanatos said when I was reborn as a god it returned me to the state of my birth. It erased my bond with you.”

Bucky folded his hands in his lap. “I too was her lover once.”

“I don't want you to be her lover, I want you to be mine,” Steve said boldly.

Bucky smiled and rested his head on Steve's upper arm. “I was hopping you'd say that.”

Steve wrapped Bucky into his arms careful of his wings and kissed his forehead.

Bucky sighed happily, snuggling deeper into Steve's embrace.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Did you spot the obligatory Stan Lee cameo??? Also thanks for reading.
> 
>  
> 
> [Art by rayskeptic](http://rayskeptic.tumblr.com/post/148644118916/for-the-stucky-big-bang-the-fic-is-love-and)
> 
> _[Art](http://asgardian-warrior-princess.tumblr.com/tagged/love-and-war)I did myself because I got bored of writing._

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Icons of the Gods: Love and War](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7713646) by [rayskeptic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayskeptic/pseuds/rayskeptic)
  * [Spartan Steve](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7713700) by [rayskeptic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayskeptic/pseuds/rayskeptic)




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